This is a small village near Dover in Kent. My intention is to show some of the Village, its history and the wildlife I find there.

Tuesday, 30 August 2011

The Festive season.

This year the Kent Miners Festival was held at Aylesham Village Green, in conjunction with Aylesham Fare. Pam spent the afternoon there with friend Marilyn and her daughter Kirsteen. I went later to seen the group Fate and the Juggler, a Folk/Rock group that play original music with Kirsteen playing the drums and other percussion instruments. So most of the photos are Pam's.

Some skillful bike riding manage to avoid the need of fist aid for the brave folk lying on the ground.

It's a dogs life, and this is the back end of the dog show, where Pam says a very handsome Retriever Doddle won the cross breed class.

Such was the weather, traditional on August Bank Holidays, that the Queen and Princesses of the festival were forced to shiver in their winning dresses. It didn't snow, but it felt like it might be on the way!

The School of performing Arts danced and sung to the music of Chicago. Here they are dancing to "We Both Reached for the Gun".

Fate and the Juggler were the last act and as they played we also played, a game of musical chairs as they were stacked to be taken away. Rob Spiers fronted the band, and their set was appreciated by groups sitting on the grass and those remaining in the beer tent, as it was dismantled around them.

While the band played, Aylesham's answer to Happy Mondays, Bez provided some entertainment with his unique dance moves.

All the songs and lyrics are written by Rob and the talented group have an interesting sound of folksy rock. I hope the festival was a success for the organisers, Aylesham is a small town, and the community spirit born in its origins in coal mining seems to be alive and well.